Film Analysis: Star Wars’ Kylo Ren – the Most Brilliantly Written Sociopath You Love to Hate

This article is NOT going to go the way you think! This is your only warning Reylo fans! This piece is meant to drive the questions why are some people drawn to Kylo’s dark nature? Why are we drawn to his magnetism? Why do some fans crave a Reylo union, when this type of relationship is dangerous? Can Kylo be redeemed and embrace the light side? Is there a sacrifice Kylo must make to absolve his past transgressions? Will he become a ghost in a shell? You can decide at the conclusion of this article.

We are currently living in a state of social peril and chaos. Hate is on a global rise and love continues to struggle through it all. So, this prompted the questions why are some people drawn to darkness? What makes it appealing? Why are some people attracted to dark fictional characters? Kylo Ren is a dark Force user. He was driven deeper into the dark side when he murdered his father, Han Solo. Stop! Let’s examine this. Kylo “murdered” his father in cold blood. Certainly, you can argue that he may be remorseful and his actions are a product of abandonment issues. That isn’t the point, and neither should it be an excuse. The fact is he “murdered” his father and thanked him for it. What kind of sick individual murder someone and thanks them during their death throe? How psychotic is this character? How psychotic could Kylo be?

Kylo Ren has a “dark destiny.” This is why I recommend you read Star Wars The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary. It gives insight into Kylo’s dark nature. Although Kylo has been under the influence of Snoke, Kylo still “plots his own path.” Warning! Minor spoiler ahead. In The Last Jedi, Snoke, like the proverbial villain that he is, couldn’t resist monologuing and crowing over how he manipulated Kylo. He failed to recognize Kylo’s brimming hatred and contempt. OK, I must stop here to reference If I Was an Evil Overlord by Peter Anspach. Number 24 is fitting. It reads “I will maintain a realistic assessment of my strengths and weaknesses. Even though this takes some of the fun out of the job, at least I will never utter the line “No, this cannot be! I AM INVINCIBLE!!!” (After that, death is usually instantaneous.)” Snoke dies (supposedly). I guess he didn’t get the memo!

Star Wars The Last Jedi novel by Jason Fry will publish in March 2018. The visual dictionary is a good indicator that there’s more to these characters than what we see in the film. Expect to learn some extra details and backstories in the novel. We may learn things, such as Kylo’s thoughts during Snoke’s interrogation of Rey and why he hesitated to press the “red” trigger to kill his mother, Leia.

J.J. Abrams did a phenomenal job in creating a villain that is loved, feared, and hated. It is evident that Abrams knows the importance of character development. For those who are unfamiliar with character development, it is a process of creating an authentic character in fiction by giving the character depth, purpose, and personality. Abrams certainly achieved this. He gave Kylo a relatable backstory so you would like him. You would have compassion for him. You would want to redeem him. Kylo’s struggle with abandonment is a brilliant juxtaposition of the fiction and non-fiction human condition.  Abrams knew many would relate to this. It made Kylo magnetic!

When Kylo finally gets to see his father in person, many people thought, hoped, and wished for a perfect reunion. Life isn’t perfect. It’s messy, complicated, and fraught with unknowns. Abrams is masterful at drawing you in and setting up a scene for a dramatic climax. Boom! Kylo “murders” his father, the much beloved Han Solo. This act further fuels his darkness. What makes this a true Greek tragedy is Kylo didn’t achieve the release he was seeking. Bravo! Instead, he becomes further conflicted and tortured.

Perhaps the Greek reference is why people are drawn to Kylo and can only see him as someone that needs to be saved. Still, you can’t dismiss the fact that he “murdered” his father and attempted to murder his mother. Don’t forget he ordered the slaughter of the unarmed villagers of Tuanul. He had a choice not to do this. Captain Phasma asked,” Sir, the villagers?” Without hesitation, Kylo commanded, “Kill them all.” Ouch! There was no display of remorse. He even had the nerve to have a “pep in his step” as he returned to the command shuttle.

So, who knows how long Kylo’s list of atrocities is? Thinking of him as sexy, hot, and delicious should be a cause for personal concern. Perhaps it’s time to whip out a mirror and ask, why do you feel this way about Kylo—a “mass” murderer? Now, don’t get your undies in a bunch! It’s time to consider the attraction to Kylo Ren. As a writer, I’m supposed to make you think. I’m supposed to make you consider consequences and actions.

Some fans have written stories about a Kylo and Rey romance. You see it all over the Internet. Reylo is a thing. It’s a thing that is a thing that spawned a thing, and this thing is not going away anytime soon! The danger of this relationship possibly being made canon is it sends a harmful message—it’s OK to be in love with your abuser.  Ooh, yes, I am taking it there!

For the record, Kylo Ren and Ben Solo are the same. Let me state this right now to get it out of the way. Some fans want to separate Ben from Kylo. I understand. I really do. However, Kylo doesn’t have a dual personality. He isn’t two separate people. Warning! This is “definitely” not going to go the way you think. Kylo has chosen not to identify himself as Ben Solo. Basically, he gave himself a stage name to perform his dark duties under. Why? Well, if he ever reverts back to the light, he (writers) can say, “That wasn’t me. It was all Kylo!” Miss me with that! Yeah, I said it! Kylo just figuratively killed Ben so he can be someone else and freely do all the nasty crap he’s been wanting to do for so long. His mind is in Vegas. That is all. This doesn’t change his “inherent nature.” Kylo (Ben) has had issues since childhood. That’s why Leia said to Han,”I just never should have sent him away. That’s when I lost him. That’s when I lost you both.”

Snoke started his manipulation of  Ben (Kylo) after he joined Luke (maybe even before). He saw Ben (Kylo) was weak and could be easily manipulated.  Further, Snoke recognized Ben’s (Kylo) “anger and recklessness”. He knew it could be used to serve him. Just how Palpatine manipulated Anakin (Darth Vader), Snoke manipulated Ben (Kylo). As Yoda said, “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan’s apprentice.” He’s referring to Anakin (Darth Vader).

Dark force users are given new “identities” to complete their transition to the dark side. Anakin became Darth Vader when he fully embraced the dark side of the Force.  Yoda knew Anakin’s (Darth Vader) future was clouded. To further support this, Anakin (Vader) was only eight-years-old, when Yoda told him, “Fear is the path to the dark side…fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.”  In addition to anger and hate, Kylo experiences fear, as well. Remember, Rey saw this in him when he attempted to extract information from her.

Again, Kylo made a choice to embrace the dark side and turn away from the light side (Ben). This transition and change in identities are confirmed by Obi-Wan when he told Luke, “Your father… was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be the Jedi Anakin Skywalker and “became” the Sith Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed.” Snoke took Ben’s (Kylo) abandonment and “inherent” anger issues and used it to encourage his discontent toward the Skywalkers. So, Kylo’s(Ben) anger was already there. As Anakin (Darth Vader) lacked self-control, so does Kylo. As Luke was reckless, so is Kylo. Just as Yoda recognized this trait in Anakin, he recognized it in Luke. Yoda was reluctant to train Luke because of this reason. He debated with Obi-Wan, saying, “This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away… to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph! Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless!”

This “recklessness and anger” have manifested itself in the Skywalker bloodline. When Ben becoming Kylo Ren, it didn’t erase his “inherent” traits. In Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker nearly killed Darth Vader when he tapped into the dark side of the force. Anakin Skywalker nearly killed Padme with a Force choke. Let’s not forget how Anakin slaughtered an entire village of Tusken Raiders, other Jedis, and the younglings, while he was Anakin, not Darth Vader. In parallel, Kylo killed Luke’s students as Ben, not Kylo. Crazy runs in the family. Luke and Leia can control it. Kylo is too much like Anakin. Han Solo recognized Vader (Anakin) in his son, when he told Leia, “There’s too much Vader in him.” Leia replied, “That’s why I wanted him to train with Luke.” Again, it’s evident that Kylo had issues since childhood.

Kylo is superbly played by Adam Driver. Thanks to Adam, Kylo is “visually” seen as sexy, hot, and a bag of deliciousness. Warning! Minor spoiler ahead.  In The Last Jedi, you can’t help but admire his “physique” in that shirtless scene. Rey had to turn away and ask him to put a shirt on. She was disturbed by his state of undress. It evoked some kind of emotion. Dear, Lord! I hope it wasn’t lust because Kylo is a “murderer.”

Any attraction from Rey would be detrimental to such an amazing character. Stay focused, Rey! May the force be with you! You see, not everyone wants Rey to have Force babies with Kylo! Kylo Ren is a sociopathic, megalomaniac, narcissistic turd, who lacks control and will stop at nothing to achieve his version of the Galaxy. Brilliant! There, I said it! Creating some quasi-relationship between these characters would be horrific. Will Abrams run with Rian Johnson’s Force bond? Will he explore a potential Reylo combo? I don’t know but I have a bad feeling about this.

Oh, don’t think I’m Kylo hating. Weren’t you warned that this article is NOT going to go the way you think? Ha! I love a good character. Abrams certainly hit the mark on Kylo! Spot on and kudos to Abrams! He made Kylo so deliciously low, so horribly ugly. Rian Johnson was able to make him even more despicable but that’s where the continuity ends. I  have some issues with Johnson’s vision of Kylo. Why? Because of the Force bond scenes were so sexually-charged. I mean it was “a warm light for all mankind to share!” (Marvel Avengers). Many have noticed it. The Force bond further fueled the Reylo fan fiction.

The issue I have with the storyline is the seemingly supportive view of unhealthy relationships. This is extremely dangerous. Currently, Hollywood is under fire for sexual abuse and its tolerance of it. Granted the film was made before the explosive reports publically named several Hollywood executives, actors, and directors as offenders, but the abuse was and still is occurring.

Warning! Minor spoiler ahead. In The Last Jedi, Kylo “forces” Rey to accept that she is nothing and her parents sold her for drinking money. Remember, he thinks of her as a scavenger. She’s not of nobility, like him, a Skywalker. Do you see the control and the narcissism that is displayed? Kylo reaches out to Rey to join him in his galactic quest for supremacy. It’s not because he’s in love with her. Rey is Kylo’s answer to his distorted and twisted plan. She can help him achieve his dreams of domination. With that said, don’t dismiss the possibility of Kylo wanting to continue the Skywalker bloodline by mating with Rey through the Force.  Conception through the Force is a definite possibility. That’s how Anakin, his grandfather, was conceived. No, no, no, and please don’t, Disney! Having Rey impregnated by Kylo through a Force bond would be wrong! So, the question is does Kylo want Force babies? I have a bad feeling “Force babies” will become a coin-phrase! lol

In The Force Awakens, Rey is clearly frightened of Kylo. She thinks of him as a monster. You can see fear on her face during the interrogation scene. Again, Abrams was brilliant in having Rey cuffed, like a scene from 50 Shades of Grey, while Kylo leans close to Rey’s left ear and seductively say, “You know I can take whatever I want.” Boom! Rey had an “oh, crap” moment. Kylo delivers the line sans mask to show he doesn’t look like a monster. He removed the mask as if to say, here I am! Do I look like a monster?

Ha! Beautiful monsters are absolutely the most sinister because they’re so gorgeous you may overlook their true nature.  Kylo removes his mask and Rey sees something completely different. Her stunned expression supports this. He doesn’t look like the monster she had imagined. This gorgeous man kidnaps her, threatens her and her friends, and assaults her mind using the Force. Wow! Further, Kylo displays intimidation and control along with sexual dominance over Rey. He has the power and authority, and he doesn’t mind abusing it. Again, why is Kylo Ren considered hot and sexy? Could you honestly say if Kylo Ren was a real person, with the same character traits as the fictional character, you would still think he’s hot? If you answered yes, perhaps a personal examination is in order!

According to Star Wars The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary, excellently written by Robert Hildago, Kylo Ren has a thirst for power and sacrificed everything in his commitment to the dark side. Kylo only cares about his survival and ascension of The First Order. He doesn’t mind abusing his power and authority to get what he wants. Again, Kylo is a sociopathic, megalomaniac, narcissistic turd, who will stop at nothing to use The First Order and take control of the Galaxy.

Kylo Ren wasn’t written to be a loving and adorable character. He is a beautiful villain. It’s easier to dismiss all the evil acts a beautiful villain commits. If Kylo was this hideous, stereotypical villain, then the fan fiction and Reylo pairing wouldn’t exist. However, there is that Disney Beauty and the Beast theme that could challenge this theory.

Can Kylo Ren be redeemed and embrace the light side of the Force? The character struggles with the light. Abrams demonstrated this with a scene in The Force Awakens, where Kylo is speaking to Darth Vader’s crumpled mask. “Forgive me,” Kylo says with his head low. “I feel it, again,” he pauses as if hating to admit, “that call to the light. Supreme leader senses it.” With determination he asks Vader, “Show me, again, the power of the darkness and I will let nothing stand in ‘our’ way.” Kylo waits as if he expects a response. Finally, Kylo demands, “Show me, grandfather, and I will finish what ‘you’ started!” It’s clear that Kylo is searching for clarity. Although Snoke had something to do with Kylo’s vision, Kylo still reached out to Vader. Remember, as Kylo was assaulting Rey, she saw into his mind and said, “You! You’re afraid.  You will never be strong as Darth Vader!” Kylo was visibly shaken! Ha! Serves him right for probing areas without consent!

Past transgressions can be redeemed. Kylo Ren has an opportunity to become a light side Force user, again. The choice must be his to repent. It will be interesting to see how this character develops. Don’t expect his redemption to occur in episode nine. This “potential” storyline needs a shelf life. Some fans hope Kylo will repent and Rey will cross over to the dark side. That’s horrible storytelling! Star Wars is about hope. Mess with the characters all you want, Disney, but don’t mess with the theme of “hope.” Sheesh!

Is there a sacrifice Kylo must make to absolve his past transgressions? Certainly! What’s absolution without trials and tribulations? Having Kylo miraculously change from evil to good would make for weak, pathetic, and lazy storytelling. Don’t do it, Abrams! Will Kylo become a ghost in a shell? Will he remain this character stuck with the same traits and never to evolve? Gads! I hope not . . . And then there is Finn. Sad! Yes, I threw some shade, Johnson!

At last, all my hopes for Kylo’s evolution may be all for naught. Abrams already submitted the script to Disney. He did say it will tie all the films together. Yeah, I’m excited! It will be interesting to see how Kylo evolves. I’m so looking forward to the next film. Meanwhile, you can rent Star Wars The Force Awakens and save The Last Jedi to your rental queue via DVD Netflix. If you’re new to Star Wars, or you haven’t watched all of the films, you can rent them. I recommend you do a Star Wars marathon before watching The Last Jedi. Rent yours here: http://bit.ly/starwarscentral. I also recommend that you read the comics, novels, and Star Wars The Last Jedi and The Force Awakens Visual Dictionaries, too. #DVDNation #ad

Movie Rating: 4 stars.

Movie Rating Guide

1 Star = Unwatchable
2 Stars = Cannot Recommend
3 Stars = Great for the Fans
4 Stars = A Solid Movie
5 Stars = Must Own (DVD/Stream Download)

Featured Image Credit: Disney/Lucas Films.

Photo Credits:

Qissus
Eric Romero
Little Chmura
Wallpapers Den
Anima Eterna
Archamboo

Related Articles:

“Film Analysis of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” – Minor Spoilers and Additional Feedback.”
“Film Analysis of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” – Minor Spoilers, Easter Eggs, and Resources.”
“Film Analysis: Star Wars The Last Jedi – Snoke an Ancient Order Soul-sucking Vampire”
“Film Analysis: Star Wars The Last Jedi – Finn Could Become a Villain”

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